Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-08-03
A GENUINE MANIA.
A POLICE CAPTAIN ANALYZES THE
CAUSE OF KLEPTOMANiA.

Description of a Typical Case - How
Kleptomaniaes Have Sometimes Been
Brought to Their Senses-The Neces-
sity for Temporary Confinement.
"Do you believe that kleptomania is gen.
uine mania, captainF queried a reporter of
one of the oldest police captains in the city.
''Of course do. So would you if you could
see the number of cases have seen, and had
the incontrovertible proofs of actual mania
that have had It's delicate matter, you
know. The affiiction strikes high and low.
But the cynical world calls theft theft,
whether it be the act of a free will agent or
the irresistible impulse of a lunatic There
are more of these unfortunates than YOU
imagine"
"Can you describe typical casen
"a dozen of them if you desire The case
Of lady, now nearly 10 years old, of fine
family by birth and the wife of wealthy
and prominent professional man, is a most
thoroughly representative case Her husband
is devoted to hep His wealth enabled him to
crafty her every desire and whim Beauti-
full children, who are idolized by both
parents, were given unto them Yet hardly
a week passes by that that lady does not re
sort to the methods of the common shoplifter
The strongest proof of mania in her ease,
however, is found in the character Of the ar
ticles she steals. | do not mean by that state
ment that the lady confines herself to any one
class of things. On the contrary. she will ap
propriate anything, valuable or otherwise
But the great majority Sf her thefts consist
of things of no earthly use to her or hers
baby shoes and stockings, crockery of
common kind, cheap jewelry, miserable
dress stutfs, which lady in her position
would not even venture to give away, and so
on through the catalogue of unavailable and
worthless rubbish. Years ago these pecula-
tons gave her husband much distress and
humiliation. Now it has been customary to
keep close watch on her, to note the goods
taken and render the husband a yearly bill
for their value These bills, in at least two
stores, frequently amount to 500 per year
Formerly, when her thefts we're discovered
and the lady was apprised of the fact, her
grief and shame were pitiable But the old
impulse would return, and, after a few i'm
potent efforts at resistance, would resume
full sway So far as the lady knows now 1t
is many years since her thefts have been dis
covered. Another strange feature in the mat
ter is that she is an earnest Christian woman,
giving freely of her time and money for th.
| advancement of all good works"
BROUGHT TO THEIR SENSES.
Cant you cure this mania if you take it
in time,"
u am glad to say that in several instances
have been able to bring young rnen tc their
senses"
How did You do it9"
by arousing their pride and fear of
| public disgrace. Take for example this case.
| man came to ME about two years ago and
| said My son is a confirmed thief. He has
! been dismissed from several positions for EN-.
| bezzling SUMS varying from IS to $50 In
each instance | have made the amount good
| But he is now nearly ~ years old, and
| although free from other vicious habits, |
cannot tell at what moment his thefts may
| reach into the hundreds or thousands Can
| you do anything to save my boy from the
| disgrace winch Is bound TO come il he keeps
| onr
II said to him, Bring the boy to me He
left the police station aud returned with the
| Young man. | questioned the youth. He
| told me he was helpless The impulse to ap-
| Dropriate the property of others when il
struck him dominated his whole being and
overpowered the promptings of Judgment
and conscience. He did not consider that be
was a thief His case was evidently bad
one, so l said to him Sternly: 'You are a thief
young man, and dangerous one. You Ger
tainly cannot be left at liberty any longer
| "The color left his face as he asked what
meant / told he would have to be locked III
for at least six months. Then | took the
father aside and explained to him my theory
and the necessity for at least temporary con
finernent to impress upon the boy that be hac
been stealing Teartully the father acqui
esced. Arrangements were made very quietly
and the young man was jailed for thre,
months When be was released supposins
that all his friends knew of his shame, he be
sought his father TO secure him a position il
Chicago. The desire was complied with, ant
the young man is now highly esteemed anC
promising fellow. The remedy was severe
but effective New York Sun